For Ionia
by Wandering Letters
Summary: The Second Invasion Of Ionia was a catastrophic event in the history of Runeterra. This is an expansion/retelling of the battle and its aftermath. Features all the champions from the cinematic as well as adding more. Contains OCxAkali.
1. Prologue: Seeking Aid

**(A/N): I've been a League player for over nine years, and for some reason, I've never thought to write a little something rooted in the new lore as opposed to the old days. After watching the Awaken music video for perhaps the ten thousandth time (good lord, the part with Jhin taking a bow and when Kennen arrives completely gives me goosebumps), I got some ideas of how the conflict between Noxus and Ionia could be expanded upon in that video.**

**This little story is an attempt to connect the dots concerning the battle between Noxus and Ionia, in addition to adding a couple of characters who participate in the battle (I found it hard to believe that some Ionians would not participate).**

**In addition, Akali has always been my favorite League Of Legends champion, even more so once her rework came out (good lord, she's easily top 5 hottest). So on top of expanding the battle, I aim to write a bit more about her own backstory, which could potentially turn into a separate one shot (seeing as A Second Chance With The Fist Of Shadow has been rendered no longer canon thanks to the rework).**

**I will be introducing an original champion design of mine as an OC, seeing as he is also an Ionian and definitely believes in fighting for his country. I'll throw his kit down at the end of this chapter so you guys can have an idea of what he's like. I think he's pretty cool, super high skill cap but very cool. I'll let the story tell his background dynamically and maybe, I'll throw up a chapter in the same vain as the short stories Riot does for the champions!**

**Without further ado, let's get this started. Let me know what you guys think, I always love reading reviews!**

* * *

**For Ionia**

**Prologue: Seeking Aid**

~ o ~

**Somewhere In An Ionian Forest**

_"She's here somewhere... I know what she's like when she doesn't want to be found... hopefully, she's in a talking mood as opposed to an angry one."_

I continued to look around the area, following the tracks of my childhood friend. Though I knew I wasn't doing myself any favors by wearing garb that hid my face, I doubt that she would be able to recognize me... seeing as we haven't seen each other since we were children.

_"A war is coming... and we need your help... I fear for the safety of our country... please. Don't abandon us Akali..."_

I suddenly heard the whoosh of steel through the air and I immediately sidestepped it, seeing three shuriken lodge themselves into the tree in front of me. I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword, closing my eyes to focus on the sounds.

_"...You're an assassin. There's no point in trying to see you. Master Shen and your mother trained you well Akali. If I didn't train for so long myself, that may have been the end of my journey."_

Another several whooshes, this time significantly more numerous and I knew I had no time to dodge them all. I drew my sword and turned around, immediately deflecting four of the shuriken while just barely managing to dance my way out of the remaining three. Before I could do anything else however, I felt a hard kick to my stomach, sending me flying into a tree. I felt the wind leave my lungs and before I could get up, I felt a cold blade at my throat. I opened my eyes to see that I had finally found the woman I had sought after for the past week.

"Who are you? And what do you want with me?" she demanded.  
"...I come seeking aid. I mean you no harm." I replied.  
"That remains to be seen. How do I know you're not someone sent to kill me or take me in?"

I responded by lifting my sword and letting go of the hilt, allowing it to fall to the ground.

"I am here to talk. If you'll allow me to." I pleaded.

She looked at me, her dark brown eyes scanning me for any trace of a lie. She released some of the pressure from the blade, but crouched down.

"Show me your face." she said.

I raised a hand, noticing how her eyes shot to it as if she expected me to make a move to reverse our roles, but I did as she requested, lowering my hood before reaching for my mask and lowering it as well. She shook her head.

"Who are you?" she asked.  
"...You may not remember me. But we grew up together." I explained.

She shook her head, the pressure once again increasing as she didn't in the least believe me.

"No one else survived the attack at the Order... you're lying to me."  
"Akali Jhomen Tethi, daughter of Mayym and Tahno Tethi... the next successor to the Fist Of Shadow until you decided to defend our country your own way outside of the Kinkou Order. I know you Akali... you always talked about how much you wanted to help protect our people. And you always spoke of how you couldn't stand Shen's obsession with restraint. It's what cost you your father, and most of your life as a member of the Kinkou Order."

She still didn't let the blade up, but I could see emotions flaring in her eyes.

"...I remember us sharing ramen together with Master Kennen. You would always ask me to cook it instead of him because he had a tendency to make it a little too sweet for your tastes. You also enjoy tea straight from the plant; you were never one who wanted to wait for the leaves to infuse into the hot water because you were so impatient back then... and you always beat me in our sparring matches. Your record is 45-0." I explained.

The blade suddenly held no sort of pressure at all, and her eyes widened.

"No one knows about that... except Master Kennen and... and..."  
"It's me Akali. It's-"  
"Len... Len Anatsu..."

She allowed me to get to my feet, her face looking straight at the ground as she continued to grip the kunai in her hand. I gave her a moment to gather her thoughts and she looked at me, her eyes clearly apologetic for what she had done.

"You... you're supposed to be dead..." she gasped.  
"Master Shen sent me on a mission that took me out of the mainland. At the time of the coup, I wasn't around... I've only recently returned to this side of the islands and I went looking for all of my old friends... you were the one I sought after the most." I explained.

She clearly held some distaste for the Eye Of Twilight, her former master and the reason she decided to leave the Kinkou. Her gaze intensified, her hand still unconsciously gripping the blade as if she were attempting to restrain herself. I walked up close to her and held out one of my hands. She looked down for a moment and much to my astonishment, she placed the kunai in my hand and allowed me to drop it to the ground. In the next moment, I gave her a smile.

"You're still every bit the girl I remember... unrivaled in skill as an assassin. But you were also my closest friend... I'm so happy to see you again Akali." I said.

She was still silent, her eyes locked onto mine as if she still couldn't believe I was standing before her. I raised my hand, slowly approaching her mask before I felt one of her hands grab hold of it. I knew it was a reflex, because it had been a long time since she really got to interact with someone close to her. It was her instinct to remain at arms length and to not let anyone close... it must've been so hard for her when the Order was attacked by Zed.

"It's me Akali... you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm not going to hurt you." I whispered.

She was still reluctant, and I noticed that tears had begun welling up within her eyes. Her grip loosened and she allowed me to place my hand on her cheek. As I reached to lower the mask, she closed her eyes. I pulled it down... to see the beautiful face of my best friend. The girl who helped shape me into the shinobi I am today.

"...You're still as pretty as the day we last saw each other... no. Even more so." I whispered.

She responded by opening her eyes and giving me a slight smile. She then wrapped her arms around my back and shoved her head into my chest. I wrapped one of my arms around her and let out a heavy breath.

"I'm sorry... I'm... so sorry..." she sobbed.  
"You were only doing what you were trained to do. It's alright..." I replied.

It took her several moments to calm down, but she finally let go of me. I took the opportunity to wipe away her tears.

"If I didn't train so hard, those shuriken might've finished me off."  
"Then it's a good thing you were always right behind me in our training." she replied.

I chuckled softly before picking up her kunai and placing it back in her hand. My face then turned serious.

"We have a lot to discuss... I was sent to find help by the Ruling Council and there was no way I could ignore your skills." I explained.  
"...The council sent you? I thought you were-"  
"I made the decision to leave the Order because the council needed protection from Noxian assassins. If any of the members were to fall, Ionia would become the embodiment of civil war. I went to the city and pledged my blade to the council, and they appointed me as their shinobi." I explained.  
"So... Shinobi Of The Ruling Council huh? That's quite an upgrade." she teased.

I laughed for a moment before nodding.

"...I was tired of standing idly by. I'm not letting our people die if I can do something to help them." I explained.  
"The very same philosophy I follow. Master Shen couldn't see that in order for balance to be maintained, we need a land to balance in the first place. And these Noxians are killing their way towards the heart of the country."  
"Agreed... so how about we catch up?"

She responded by holding my hand.

"I have a camp nearby... I want to hear everything you've been up to for the last four years."

* * *

**Meanwhile- The Placidium, Ionia**

"You've had visions of this?" asked Irelia.  
"Indeed. The attack will come not long from now... so we must be prepared." replied Karma.  
"What are our options?"

The Duchess cleared her throat before looking down at the large map in front of her.

"They will be attacking the village. I did not receive a clear idea of how large their army is... but it's significantly larger than ours. We don't have anywhere near as many troops as they do, so it will be an uphill battle from beginning to end." she explained.  
"Have we no allies?" asked Irelia.  
"I do not know if any of them have received word. We may have to fight this battle with only the villagers to aids us."  
"That... is disheartening."

The blade dancer let out a loud sigh before turning back to see at least one individual to answered the call.

"...I cannot thank you enough for coming to our aid." she said.  
"I'm not letting those Noxian dogs destroy our land. Exile or not... I'm going to do all I can to help."

Karma's face tightened as she let out a deep sigh.

"Your exile has nothing to do with the man you are Yasuo. It has already been revealed that Riven was was responsible for the death of Elder Souma. We were informed of the entire story by those who bore witness. No one thinks you abandoned us."  
"If I didn't leave for the frontlines, he'd still be alive and here to help us now." replied the samurai.

He leaned off of the wall he was against before turning to Irelia.

"If it's a Noxian army, we can expect hundreds, perhaps even thousands of soldiers to come knocking on our doorstep. And that's not even accounting for the more powerful members of their ranks. I guarantee they'll be sending at least five of their elite, some of which are the furthest thing from a mere soldier." he explained.  
"Then what do you propose we do?"

He approached the table before putting a hand to his chin.

"The way I see it, they'll only be able to attack from the river outside the walls. They've already laid waste to a small village nearby, so some of their forces are probably not battle ready. However, Noxians never let up an assault once it begins. We'll have to hold them in the field outside the gate." he explained.  
"How can we stand a chance against such insurmountable odds?" asked Irelia.  
"By splitting the army apart."

He pointed to a small area near the forest, just to the left of the field.

"I'll be able to thin their ranks on my own. I will attack from here and push towards the gates where we can regroup and push them back. If any of the ones you've called for arrive, they'll help you hold the line. It's probably best that I work alone." he continued.  
"Are you insane?! That's an entire army."  
"An entire army that has _**no idea**_ that I've mastered the Wind Technique my teacher passed onto me. They have no idea that you, the duchess and I are here. Right now, they expect this battle to be over quickly... we'll make sure we give them a fight to remember." he said firmly.

The blade dancer glared at the samurai, but he was completely unfazed by her gaze.

"The villagers here can fight. I've seen what they can do because I've been here many times in my travels. Have faith in your people... because they want to protect this land just as much as we do, if not even more." he explained.

It took several moments for her to process what he said, but Karma placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded.

"He's right. We must have faith in our people. We know that they are vulnerable, but some of the greatest battles in history have been won by a small number of determined participants. We face great opposition... but they are fighting on our lands. This is our home. And everyone will defend it to their last breath."

Yasuo nodded in agreement with the duchess's words. Irelia took another moment to gather her wits until she finally nodded.

"Alright. This plan doesn't appear foolproof... but we don't have any options... now we can only hope that our shinobi has found more aid." she said.  
"...Shinobi?" asked Yasuo.  
"A former member of the Kinkou Order." replied Karma.

Karma closed her eyes.

"He wanted to fight for his country... because he lost his family to a Noxian attack when he was young. Master Shen took him in and trained him. However, he chose to leave the Order in order to serve his country instead of simply maintaining balance. He came to the council and pledged his life to us... and he's served faithfully for the last four years." explained Irelia.  
"I take it that he's extremely skilled?" he asked.  
"...Very much so. One of the most talented swordsmen I've ever seen." she replied.

The samurai nodded before taking a deep breath.

"We'd best get some rest before this battle begins. I'll lie in wait for the army to attack and come in swinging." he said.  
"...Thank you again Yasuo." said Irelia.  
"...For Ionia."

The samurai took his leave from the tent as Irelia sat down and let out a heavy breath.

"...This may not be a battle that we can win."  
"You must have faith Xan. Our people are strong and stand united against all who would seek to disrupt our way of life. They will not simply lay down and die... we cannot let Noxus take our home away from us, else... the balance will forever be disrupted."  
"Who's to say that this battle won't disrupt the balance forever as it is?"

The duchess closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh.

"A valid point... but I love my country. You also love your country. And I would rather meet my end facing our enemy on the battlefield than to have them sweep across the land killing everyone in their path. I will do my part to protect the balance... the question is, will you step up to be the leader we need?"  
"I've never been a leader Darha. My exploits do not make me a capable leader." she replied.

Karma smiled at her friend and nodded.

"No... but they make you a beacon of hope and inspiration for everyone. Many of these men and women will follow you to death's door. You have all of their support in this endeavor... remember that though the Noxians outnumber us, we have one thing they don't: a cause that is **just**."

With that final message, she gave the blade dancer a reassuring look before taking her leave. Irelia sighed softly and shook her head.

_"...Spirits... give us all strength. This is the second invasion of our lands by our enemies... and this could change everything for our people. Grant us the strength and will to keep the balance..."_

* * *

**Champion Concept: Len, Shinobi Of The Ruling Council**

**Passive: Shinobi's Instinct**

_Whenever Len lands a basic attack or ability on an enemy, he marks them with a stack of Wound up to a maximum of three stacks. Upon reaching three stacks, the enemy is afflicted with Vulnerability, causing the next ability hit to have a bonus effect in addition to dealing bonus physical damage and restoring 40 energy. After exploiting a vulnerability, Len cannot mark the same enemy for 6/5/4 seconds (reduces as he ranks up his ultimate)._

_While an enemy champion is Wounded, Len gains bonus movement speed towards them._

_Len can reduce the cooldown of marking an enemy champion by hitting them with abilities while it is on cooldown, with each reducing it by 0.5 seconds._

_Wounds and Vulnerability last for four seconds respectively, and stacks of Wound fall off one at a time._

**Q: Triple Slash: Panther Fang/Tiger Sweep/Raging Dragon (80 Energy for each strike) (10/9/8/7/6 second cooldown)**

_Len strikes with his katana in a devastating combo. Len must land each hit of the combo in order to continue it. Each strike has a different effect upon consuming Vulnerability as well as hitbox and area of effect. Each time Len strikes a target, he gains a stack of Focus up to 3._

**Panther Fang (20/30/40/50/60 base damage + 100% Total Attack Damage)**\- _An inward sweep, striking everything in a small cone in front of him. If used on a Vulnerable target, slows for 15/20/25/30/35% for 3 seconds._

**Tiger's Rise (25/35/45/55/65 base damage + 100% Bonus Attack Damage)**\- _A furious upward slash, striking in a straight line. If used on a Vulnerable target, inflicts a small bleed effect that deals 20/30/40/50/60% of Len's bonus attack damage over four seconds._

**Raging Dragon (30/40/50/60/70 base damage + 100% Total Attack Damage)**\- _Leaps forward and does a full circle sweep, striking everything around him. If used on a Vulnerable target, will automatically critically strike for 20/30/40/50/60% bonus damage. (This ability cannot have its damage amplified by Infinity Edge)_

_If Len successfully executes Raging Dragon on an enemy champion, he gains a small burst of movement speed and consumes his Focus, regaining 20 energy per stack consumed._

_Missing any part of the combo will immediately place the ability on cooldown._

**W: Flying Swallow (90 Energy) (30/50/70/90/110 base damage + 100% Bonus Attack Damage) (12/11/10/9/8 second cooldown)**

_Len leaps in target direction and slashes the first enemy champion in his path, coming to a stop if he successfully does so. Deals physical damage. If this ability strikes a Vulnerable target, Len will ignore 30/40/50% of the target's Armor for the strike and will be allowed to cast Swallow's Return for five seconds, which is a second cast at no cost, but deals 30% damage and cannot consume Vulnerability. This attack goes through minions._

**E: Innervate (No cost) (14/13/12/11/10 second cooldown)**

_Len sheathes his sword for up to five seconds. While sheathed, Len cannot attack or cast other abilities. If he successfully keeps his sword sheathed for five seconds, his next ability cast will cost no energy and will heal him for a portion of the damage done. Len can pre-emptively end the channel to attack or cast, but will not empower his next cast and will break his focus, removing any active stacks of Wound or Vulnerability on any present champions. Len will lose any stacks of Focus he has upon channeling, but will heal himself for 20/30/40/50 health per stack of Focus he loses over the channel time. If Len successfully strikes a Vulnerable champion with an empowered ability, he will heal for all of the damage dealt to that champion and gains a brief burst of movement speed._

**R: Final Draw/Swift Execution (120/110/100 second cooldown)**

**Final Draw:** _Len lets go of his inner peace, sheathing his main blade and drawing the powerful katana and long time companion, Kaya, from his back and wields her for 8/9/10 seconds. When the blade is drawn, he strikes everything around him, knocking them away but dealing no damage. While wielding Kaya, she infuses his body with magical energy, granting him 10/15/20% movement speed and 20/30/40% attack speed and his abilities gain bonus effects though he will not be able to critically strike his enemies while wielding her._

**Q**\- _Converts 20% of all damage dealt to true damage._

**W**\- _Cast range is increased by 150 and allows him to pass through all targets if he strikes any, including champions._

**E**\- _Hastens the channel time to three seconds and the empowered ability will ministun if it strikes an enemy champion. The ability will also immediately make the struck target Vulnerable, ignoring the cooldown of Shinobi Instinct._

_Whenever Len consumes Vulnerability while wielding Kaya, he gains 2 extra seconds of wielding time. At any point, Len can cast Swift Execution on any target that is immobilized by either him or any member of his team and has at least one stack of Wound or has Vulnerability on them._

**Swift Execution (100/250/350 + 80% Total Attack Damage) (Has a one second cast time)**: _Len vanishes, becoming briefly untargetable as he moves in to strike a deadly blow, dealing massive physical damage. If used on a champion who is afflicted with Vulnerability, the blow will ignore 50/60/70% of the target's armor. Len cannot cast Swift Execution if he is channeling Innervate. If Swift Execution kills the target, Len restores 40 energy and he may recast Swift Execution again._

**Playstyle Summary: **_Len is an assassin/fighter, capable of dealing immense damage if he makes clever use of his passive. _

_Shinobi's Instinct is Len's primary means of dealing damage as his abilities gain bonus effects if he manages to strike his target three times, either with basic attacks or abilities before making his move for the kill. Because Len is 100% skillshot based with the exception of his ultimate, he has to work hard to build stacks of Wound to make his target Vulnerable. _

_Once his target is open, Len gains several options. _

_With clever use of Triple Slash, he can manipulate when his enemy becomes vulnerable to take advantage of the effects it offers. If Len needs to stick to his target, Panther Fang can provide a slow to force his target to commit or blow their resources to escape. If he needs to back away from a trade immediately, Tiger's Rise allows him to leave a bleed effect behind, giving him a good chance at coming out on top of the trade especially if it's not a favorable one. When going in for a kill or seeking to deal a lot of damage, Raging Dragon allows him some burst damage, though landing the ability is difficult due to having to land the previous two slashes to enable it. _

_Flying Swallow allows Len the option of closing the gap or an escape over a wall or terrain. If he uses Flying Swallow on a Vulnerable target, such as a minion, he can double his chances of escape by gaining the second cast. If used on a champion, he gains a second chance at catching his target if they happen to dash away and he is also rewarded with more damage due to the attack ignoring some of their armor._

_Innervate is Len's sustain tool, and he must make clever use of it due to the fact that it consumes his method of regenerating his energy in addition to losing all stacks of Shinobi's Instinct upon interruption of the ability. If fully channeled, Len recovers some of the health he lost in the trade at the expense of disabling any offensive capability for five seconds. However, if he dedicates himself to focusing, Len will be able to heal off of the next ability he casts after Innervate, allowing him to get back into the fight or to further sustain._

_Len's ultimate is a high risk, high reward form that rewards aggressive, but also clever play. Due to not gaining innate damage while wielding Kaya, Len is forced to be aggressive when he draws her. The movement and attack speed increase allows Len to quickly stack up Shinobi's Instinct to set up a bonus effect. Due to only having a ministun in his kit, Len will not be able to use Swift Execution on his own unless he is wielding Kaya and manages to land an Innervate empowered attack. To allow him a better chance at being offensive, Innervate's channel time is reduced due to Kaya sharing her strength and focus with Len. When a teamfight breaks out, Len will be able to strike with Swift Execution if his teammates manage to lock down his enemies, finishing off any low health enemy and if he manages to kill, he will be able to do so again and again. If the target is vulnerable, Swift Execution gains the added effect of dealing significantly more damage, giving him a better chance to take his target out. Because he cannot critically strike while wielding Kaya, Len must rely on his abilities, basic attacks or his teammates to weaken his enemies to give him an opening to execute them._

_He is a melee champion and possesses no form of ranged attack, which makes him very kitable by champions like Quinn or Ashe. Len however, truly shines when he is in teamfights alongside a crowd control heavy team with champions like Amumu, Malphite or even Yasuo. As long as his target is hit with hard crowd control, he may cast Swift Execution to instantly close the gap and strike with deadly force._


	2. Chapter One: The Shinobi's Tale

**For Ionia**

**Chapter One: The Shinobi's Tale**

~ o ~

**Later That Night- Akali's Camp, Ionia**

"...I didn't think that things would've changed this much." I said with a deep sigh.  
"As beautiful and welcoming as Ionia can be… it's not exactly a paradise." replied Akali.

I took a gulp of the Ginseng tea that I made for us earlier, now fully caught up with all that's happened in my long absence. It was horrible to have found out that Shen just didn't agree with Akali's perspective. I understood his position, which forces him to always make decisions that have no sort of bias or prejudice… but for him to not allow Akali to take significant action considering all that's happened to the Order? After her father was killed… along with his, I thought my former master would've supported retribution, but he took after his father in many more ways than I could imagine.

Lord Kusho was never a man who was bent on revenge, and he was always a very forgiving man. It was difficult to believe however that he let Akali go on neutral terms, because I was sure that knowing she would be going rogue… Shen would've taken measures to continue to limit her movements. However, after she told me all of the key figures she's managed to remove from the Noxian ranks, he really didn't seem to be interested in stopping her.

I didn't want her to take the path of vengeance and retribution… because it was not the path that her mother followed as the Fist Of Shadow. Perhaps if I didn't leave the monastery… I could've helped her stay on a more righteous path. But then again… I may not be breathing right now considering how inexperienced I was back then.

"...So you've been all over Ionia for the past five years?" she asked.  
"Yeah… I've seen a lot." I replied.  
"I've already spilled everything I've been through… your turn." she teased.

I took a deep breath and shrugged.

"Well... there's a lot to tell... and I guess I should tell you how I even came to the Kinkou Order to begin with. Do you know the story?"

She shook her head.

"The only one who would know is Master Shen, because my mother wasn't kept in the loop at the time as she wasn't an elder or the child of an elder." she explained.

I nodded as I reached into my tunic and pulled the pendant around my neck out for her to see. She looked at it in surprise.

"Isn't that... a Kashuri Shimmertail Finch?" she asked.  
"Yes. I was born and raised in Kashuri. You've never been there have you?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"Only heard stories about how beautiful that place is... but I also heard that it's been invaded multiple times by Noxians." she continued.  
"Those stories are true. They attacked my village when I was seven years old and killed just about everyone there, including my father and all of my friends. My mother and I are two of the six survivors from that attack." I explained.  
"...How did you escape?"  
"My mother stowed me away on an escape boat that was sent from the Placidium in the relief effort of the invasion. She carried me all the way to the coast on her own, evading the soldiers and doing all she could to ensure I wasn't hurt... for all intents and purposes, I was supposed to go to the Placidium and be raised at an orphanage. However, there was no space for her and she chose to send me and remain behind."

Akali's eyes narrowed, now knowing the horrible torture my mother endured for all the years she was a prisoner of war.

"By a twist of fate, the ship was sent off course by a storm, which forced it to land upon the shores of Bahrl. I was lucky enough to have survived the storm and that was when Lord Kusho and Master Shen found me." I said.  
"And they took you in?"

I nodded firmly.

"And that was how you and I met. You know the rest until I left... and I didn't think I'd be gone for so long." I explained.  
"Lord Kusho saw a lot of potential in you and that could've been the only reason as to why he would send you on tasks for the order at such an early age." she inferred.  
"Yeah... I didn't think for a moment that I'd be doing missions for the Order at the age of 18. But that's where I need to fill in the gaps the most isn't it?" I said.

She nodded as I took a deep breath.

"Lord Kusho saw me as a potential candidate for the Eye Of Twilight's role, and he believed it was my destiny to learn how to Prune The Tree."  
"...That's nonsense. He really expected you to be able to-"  
"I nearly did... but my time away from the monastery changed my perspective on the world. I spent a lot of time in Shojin, where I met the monks and learned of their views of the world. I decided then that I needed to see the rest of the country in order to truly decide what my next move was. By the time I returned to the monastery two years later, Zed had already finished his work... and I barely managed to escape the Order Of Shadow." I continued.

I sighed deeply before looking at my sword.

"I believed all of you were dead... so I became a wanderer. During my travels, that was when I found out that my mother was still alive." I explained.  
"What did you do?" she asked.  
"I hunted down every lead I could find for the next year, trying to find where she was... and that was when I discovered that she was being held on a Noxian Galleon. Apparently, she was one of the slaves being traded to the efforts they have near Ionia for a forward base. I was lucky, because if I had made my move even a day later, I may never have found her again." I explained.

She then put her hand to her chin, before looking at me, her eyes widened.

"I heard something about a galleon being invaded by an unknown assailant off the coast of Fae'lor . The ship went up in flames and General Maximus Thormon was killed in the battle as well... that was you?"

I nodded.

"I happened to be near there at the time and I borrowed a fishing boat. Managed to board it but I was found, so I had to fight them all... at the end of the conflict, my mother still wanted me to leave her behind because she didn't think she was worth saving. I escaped with her and took her to the village I was staying in... only for her to fall extremely ill." I continued.

She gasped audibly.

"I was desperate... I looked all over Ionia until my search brought me to the Placidium."

I felt a magical presence within my mind as I looked to the sword on my back.

_"You should tell her Len. Get it out of the way."_**  
**"...Are you sure Kaya?"  
_"I can sense your feelings for this girl. You care **very** deeply for her, beyond any bond I've observed or heard from you about. If you can trust her with your life, I can trust her to maintain our secret."  
_"She holds no ill-will towards Vastayans. She's a good person… but she believes in taking action instead of sitting and letting things unfold."  
_"Something I can respect. This war is coming… from what you've told me, Karma believes this attack will happen in a matter of days. We must make haste to the Placidium._"  
"Yeah… if you're sure about this, I'll tell her."  
_"I trust your judgement. And from what I've observed, she really is a good person as you've said. If you wish, you can hand her the blade and that will allow me to speak to her."  
_"Let's see how she reacts to the initial story first."

I cleared my throat and turned back to Akali, who was sipping some of the soup I had made for her earlier in the night. I was happy to see that she still remembered my cooking, and I had ensured to remember the way she enjoyed her ramen. She had already bought all of the ingredients from a nearby village, but saved them for a time she decided to have it cooked for her by a chef.

"Before I go any further... Kali... there's something I need to tell you. Something important." I began.  
"What is it?"

I took a deep breath before reaching for the sword on my back.

"There is something special about this sword… there's a lot more to it than meets the eye." I explained.  
"It looks like it was crafted by a true master… but what do you mean?"

I took a deep breath before handing her the blade carefully.

"...When you touch it, you'll understand."  
"...You're kind of scaring me here Len." she said raising an eyebrow.

She took a moment, but finally took the blade and I closed my eyes to focus on Kaya's words.

_"Hello Akali. It is a pleasure to meet you."  
_"**WHAT THE HELL?**!"

She almost dropped the sword, but I raised a hand.

"She's friendly, you don't need to be scared." I explained.  
"..._**She**_?"  
_"My name is Kaya. I am a Vastayan. I have Len to thank for still being among the living… you have a good friend."  
_"...What happened?" she asked.  
"Kaya was attacked by villagers years ago and I decided to help her. We became friends… and even though she repaid me by saving my mother's life, the villagers still didn't take kindly to her just because she's a Vastayan, so they shunned her to the point that she ran away. Then… Zed's acolytes attacked her. We had to improvise."  
"...Improvise?"  
_"To avoid confusing you, Len took my body to a cave that contained rejuvenating waters. However, it will be some time before my body is healed enough to allow me to return to it."  
_"So… you literally have a Vastayan living within this thing… how can you speak to me?" she asked.  
_"Touching the blade allows me to link my essence to the holder. If I focus, I can also transfer some of my magical affinity to the holder as well."  
_"But it exhausts you to do it for too long… which is why I will only draw the sword when I have no choice." I interjected.  
_"You make me sound **exuberantly** fragile Len… but yes. I can still use magic, though to a significantly lesser extent than I could in my actual body. But because this sword was forged with such durable metal, and with him taking care of it… I don't think I need to worry about losing myself."  
_"...What kind of Vastayan are you? I've met a few." asked Akali.  
"I am what you humans would call a Lhothlan. I appear mostly human but I have wings and feathers."  
"...This is _**so**_ cool."

I laughed loudly as Akali handed me the blade.

"Kaya is the one who saved my mother. She called out for help while I was in a forest near the Placidium. She was being attacked by a bunch of Ionians who just didn't like Vastayans."  
"You trust her don't you?" she asked.

I nodded.

"With my life." I replied.

Akali smiled at me and shrugged.

"I don't really have anything against Vastayans, despite all the bad things I've heard about them... but she seems like one of the good ones." she said.  
_"Thank you Akali. Len has told me a lot about you."_

She raised an eyebrow as I looked to the blade.

"How can she hear you? She isn't holding the blade." I asked.  
_"I placed some of my magic within her. Now I can speak to both of you whenever I wish."  
_

She started laughing before looking back at me, raising her eyebrow.

"So you're the bodyguard of The Ionian nobility and you've got a virtually indestructible sword with a Vastayan sealed into it… that's a **lot** for four years." she said.  
"I'm sorry for not keeping in touch… but you know that-"

I didn't get to finish the sentence before she placed a hand on mine.

"I know how much your mother means to you Len… you don't have to apologize. You couldn't have known the coup was coming… let alone all of what followed it." she said.

For some reason, I felt a comforting warmth go through my body, and I could hear Kaya laughing softly within my head.

_"The Shinobi Of The Ruling Council, disarmed by a 19 year old girl."_  
"...That's enough outta you."

I turned my head away but allowed her to entwine her fingers with mine.

"For what it's worth Len… I'm really happy that you're still here. Things have gotten very bad since you've been gone."  
"So I've heard. Which… brings me to the reason I've been looking for you, apart from the obvious one of course." I said respectfully.

I turned back to her, only to see her dark brown eyes, focused intensely on me. I took a breath and let it out slowly in an effort to steel my nerves, preparing for the possibility of her declining my request.

"There is a war coming. Karma has seen visions of it and they have gathered a force in the Placidium Of Novarra. It's only a matter of time before the Noxians arrive there and if the Placidium falls, it will be the end of our people…"  
"And you want me to help them fight on the frontlines?"

I flinched for a moment, astonished that she already figured out my intent… but she was always sharp, able to discern a lot from just listening to someone's voice, or observing their body language.

"...It's not ideal; people like you and I have no business on the frontlines… we're far better suited to picking off the ones hiding in the back." I mused.  
"From what it sounds like, they need every person they can get if we want to even stand a chance at this." she continued.  
"...Yes. They outnumber us at least a hundred to one. The only advantage we have is that we're on our own land. And Noxians never relent on an assault once they begin." I explained.  
"They've already reached the country?" she asked.

I nodded slowly and sighed.

"If we can't hold them off here… they may finally be able to take the land for themselves. We've defended our country for many years... and this may change everything for us. Even if we manage to win... which I _**really **_don't think is possible."  
"We did it before, we can do it again... what's our next step?"  
"Lady Darha believes that they will arrive at the Placidium in a matter of days. We need to leave as soon as we can." I explained.  
"...Alright. I'll do all I can."

I then looked to the sky and reached into my tunic before pulling out a reed whistle and blowing.

"What are you doing?" she asked.  
"Calling an old friend." I replied with a smile.

It took nearly a minute, but the rustling of foliage as well as the unmistakable neigh of a horse filled the air. Akali smiled and shook her head.

"You still have her?" she asked.  
"Avi? She's been the other faithful friend I've had through all my travels." I replied.

Loud trotting made its way towards us until finally, the light brown mare who has been with me since I was a teenager, made her way to the source of the whistle. I had trained her long ago to respond to my call, though it took a few weeks to teach her about the whistle. She approached me before turning to Akali and much to my surprise, lowered her head down to hers. Akali pressed her cheek to the horse's forehead and rubbed her neck firmly.

"Good to see you again girl. You've gotten a heck of a lot bigger since I last saw you." she mused.

She then turned to me.

"Give me a moment to make my things. I need to move from this position anyway because it's been compromised." she said.  
"Let me know if I can help."

With one final nod, she got to her feet and began to gather her things, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief.

_"...That was a lot easier than you were anticipating wasn't it?"_  
"She's always ready to help Kaya. Especially if it involves Noxians... because those bastards killed her father in the coup."  
_"I didn't know... that explains why she's so eager to help. It's so tragic... just how much these Noxians have taken from all of you."_  
"And they will continue to because they have so much more resources than we do. Ionia is not a country bred for war... nor are its people. I don't think we'll truly find peace until something major happens. Beyond anything that we may accomplish in our lifetimes."  
_"I just don't can't fathom why these conflicts occur... I get the one between us Vastayans and humans, because humans have a tendency to always fear or hate what they cannot understand."  
_"War... it's just unavoidable. Inevitably, someone will want more than they have and conflict will be reborn. It's a cycle of destruction... and something that the Kinkou seeks to help prevent."  
_"Meiryo... your falcon. Do you believe he's already made it to your friend?"  
_"Kennen will no doubt make his way to the battlefield the moment the message arrives... I can only hope that Master Shen will see reason and assist us as well."  
_"From what you've told me, your master is a good man. But he's always torn between two extremities… and he can't afford to have biased decisions due to his role in the Kinkou. That is a role I do not envy in the slightest."  
_"If he finds out that the Placidium is in danger... I believe he will make the right decision. He wouldn't let Kennen fight without him as well."  
_"Indeed... but what about **you** Len?"  
_"What do you mean?"

I heard Kaya scoff and I could practically see her rolling her eyes.

_"What will you do after this battle? Will you go back to serving the Council?"_  
"It is my sworn duty to."  
_"Are you going to tell her how you feel about her?"_

I sighed deeply and shook my head.

"Men like me don't get to have the woman they care about... you already know how things worked out with Lady Irelia."  
_"She has every reason to not be involved with someone... she's the face of the Ionian military and a war hero. Even though it isn't a role she asked for, she knows that her line of duty prevents her from having any sort of pleasantries."  
_"And the same goes for-"  
_"Don't give me that excuse Len. Remember that I can feel all of your emotions. You can't hide anything from me... you've cared about Akali since you were both young. But you never told her because you didn't want to burden her. I know Lady Irelia cares for you... but she literally can't bring herself to feel too much for someone else because she can't afford to; the stakes are too high. Akali on the other hand... I believe she needs a relationship in order to truly understand that she can't do everything alone."  
_"And that's a burden I'll never place on her Kaya. It's better this way... I don't want to scare her away because she's my closest friend. I'd rather live in a world where I can have her as my friend than nothing at all."

She sighed softly.

_"Promise me that you'll talk to her. About everything... because I know how much it bothers you. I feel that regret every day within your heart."_

I closed my eyes before placing Kaya on my back and making my way to Avi.

"I'll try Kaya... I'll try."


	3. Chapter Two: Ties That Bind

**For Ionia**

**Chapter Two: Ties That Bind**

**~ o ~**

**Two Days Later- The Placidium**

"...They are coming Xan." said Darha.  
"How far are they?" I replied.  
"...Less than a day. They will be here before the sun begins to set tomorrow." she replied.

I cursed under my breath.

"Are our warriors ready for battle?" I asked.  
"As much as they can be to face an army like theirs."  
"What are our chances?"

Her eyes narrowed, but she shook her head.

"Answering that question will not help morale. We must stay strong for our people or they will lose the will to fight." she explained.  
"...Any word from Len?"

My heart wrenched briefly upon mentioning the shinobi's name, as I had truly begun to worry about him; he didn't normally take so long to accomplish a mission.

"Not as yet. But he will come... he's never let us down before and he certainly won't start now." replied Darha.  
"Have any other allies answered the call to arms?"  
"The Shojin Order has sent as many monks as they could spare. Several platoons from Ionia City have arrived as well... but we are still vastly outnumbered." she replied.

I nodded in comprehension as I looked out the balcony... only to see an ominous black smoke, the same smoke I had been staring at for the past two hours.

"I will prepare our mages for battle. All of our forces await your arrival Xan... and please. Try to get some rest; you cannot fight your best if anxiety gets the better of you." she urged.  
"...Thank you Darha. I will join you in the morning."

She bowed respectfully before leaving me to my thoughts. I clenched my fists, now feeling a strong sense of dread begin to take over my body.

_"...I would feel a lot more at ease if you were here Len... but without your help, we don't stand a chance against that army. Please... hurry back."_

I couldn't help but think back to the last two conversations we had... and the first of the two was something I deeply regretted...

* * *

**Four Weeks Ago- Ionia City, The Royal Palace- Irelia's Personal Quarters**

_"You asked to see me Lady Irelia?"_

_He bowed respectfully, getting down on one knee and placing his fist on the ground. I sighed deeply and gestured towards the space next to me on the chair._

_"Have a seat Len... there are a few things we need to discuss."  
_

_He obeyed me without hesitation, getting back to his feet and sitting down before looking back at me. I cleared my throat._

_"You've been serving the Council for three years now... and you've been a tremendous help." I began.  
"It's my duty my lady." I replied._

_I internally growled at the title he often called me by, so I raised a hand._

_"Please... there's no need for that kind of formality when we're alone. We're friends aren't we?" I asked._

_He visibly hesitated, but obeyed once again._

_"Is something wrong Xan?" he asked.  
"...Yes. A couple of things. Let's start with the visions."  
"You mean the ones that Lady Darha has been telling us about?"  
"...Yes. It's worrying because this isn't the first time Noxus has invaded our land. You know that right?"  
"I've been told of it. This was during Lord Kusho's youth?"_

_I nodded slowly._

_"Our country hasn't made a lot of progress in terms of unity, because we're spread so far thin across the islands. And that is a concern I need you to help address."  
"What can I do to help?"_

_I gestured towards my desk, which had several sealed scrolls._

_"I've written a plight for each of the elders. These need to make it to each of them if we are to have even a chance at fighting the second invasion." I explained.  
"...Is it **that** large of an army?" he asked.  
"From the visions Darha has described... we'll be outnumbered no matter how many of us answer the call, but we stand a much better chance if everyone fights together." I replied._

_He put his hand to his chin before snapping his fingers._

_"Meiryo can deliver three of these without me. I can deliver the nearby four to save us some time." he suggested._

_I smiled and nodded._

_"I'm very thankful you managed to tame that falcon; he's an incredibly smart bird."  
"He's traveled all over the country and he remembers all of the locations even better than I do. It will be done." he said.  
_

_I felt a sense of relief wash over my body... until I looked at him again. My heart rate began to increase and I couldn't help but feel heat come to my cheeks._

_"There's... another matter. And it concerns... well, us." I said._

_The shinobi looked visibly nervous, breaking eye contact and trying to focus on something else. However, he knew that it needed to be addressed as well, because it nearly cause a problem in our everyday lives._

_"Len... I need to know the truth. You've spent a great deal of time with me and we're undoubtedly close friends. But... I feel as if you haven't been honest with me. I want you to tell me what's in your heart."  
"Do you want the honest or professional answer?" he replied.  
"Both."_

_He closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath._

_"Professionally... I will never stop serving the Council and I will never abandon my country. I will protect you, Lady Darha and everyone else on the Council till my last breath. It was the oath I swore when I arrived years ago. And I will not let any harm befall you if I am able to prevent it."_

_I smiled, blushing slightly at his show of dedication. He had truly lived up to his oath, as he and I have fought side by side dozens of times in the past and not once, did he let anyone hurt me if he was present. Needless to say I had my fair share of battle scars but whenever he was with me, I felt... safer. He is easily one of the best swordsmen I've ever seen and likely one of the best shinobi the Kinkou Order has ever produced... but I could tell that his dedication wasn't solely because of his oath. He cared deeply for everyone in the country... but he had grown close to Darha and I because of the sheer amount of time we've all spent together. It was no secret that Darha and I were best friends... and Len was a close second because he was **always** there for me._

_But that's the thing about our roles... we cannot settle down or dedicate ourselves to our feelings else our judgement will be altered. Emotional attachment has no place in war... and it would quickly become a weakness. What if the enemy discovered our ties and took one of us? That's leverage that I didn't want them to have... and even though Len has never wronged me, I knew that this needed to be done._

_"Honestly... and I do not want to lie to you Xan... I care for you. Far more than I likely have a right to... you've become a close friend and I can't see daily life without you anymore. You gave me a purpose and you were the one who fought to allow me to serve the Council... you changed my life."  
"Is that the true extent of your feelings?"_

_The shinobi shook his head before getting to his feet._

_"Do you want me to let them go Xan?"_

_My eyes narrowed and I could feel my body begin to break down a little. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt him, because he didn't do anything wrong. He couldn't help but care for me after having taken care of my injuries, watching over me... protecting me._

_"Say the word and I'll never allow myself to slip again. You have my word." he said._

_He sounded almost mechanical in his response and for some reason, I couldn't help but turn to him and throw my arms around his neck._

_"No... Len... you don't understand. The last thing I'd ever want is for you to not be yourself..."_

_I could sense his hesitation, as his arms couldn't seem to find the courage to return the embrace._

_"...If things were different... I'd love nothing more than to explore this... but you know the world that we live in. You know that we can't-"  
"Form bonds like those... I understand."_

_I felt terrible for telling him this, just before I needed him to accomplish such an important mission._

_"I'm... sorry." I sighed.  
"No need to apologize... because I'm never going to stop being your friend Xan."_

_He got to his feet, gently pushing me off of him but not in an ungrateful way. In fact, he was smiling._

_"I'm just glad that I don't have to hide it anymore from you... because it's bothered me for a while. I'll leave as soon as preparations have been made for the militia's arrival." he explained.  
"Darha asked you to lead them to the Placidium?"_

_He nodded slowly._

_"I'm to leave tomorrow and it will be at least a two day journey."  
"...Swift travels Len."_

_He bowed respectfully once again and turned to leave._

_"Len... are you angry at me?"_

_He turned back and shook his head._

_"The furthest thing from it. Don't worry Xan. Nothing has changed between us... okay?"_

_Feeling more confident with his gentle tone, I smiled at him._

_"Thank you for being so patient with me."  
"And thank you for being honest."_

* * *

**Present Time: Later That Night- Irelia's Personal Quarters**

**~ o ~**

The familiar flap of wings broke me from my thoughts as I got to my feet and approached my window. Much to my delight, it was Len's falcon: Meiryo and just as I was hoping, he carried several letters with him. I gave him a grateful pat before untying the sealed scrolls from his talons. He didn't resist at all, as he had gotten used to my presence given all of the times he's helped not only me, but the entire council by delivering messages across the islands. Sometimes, I really wondered how Len managed to find such an intelligent bird for a companion... along with that horse of his who seemed to be able to hear his call no matter how far away she was.

I unraveled the first of three scrolls, and much to my relief, it stated that a large platoon of militia would arrive at dawn. Placing it aside, I opened the next one... only to recoil from what I read.

_"No... they suffered even more losses than I could've anticipated."_

The letter came from the coast of Bahrl, from our allies who were known to be some of the greatest weaponsmiths in the country. They had suffered losses in Noxian raids on their supply lines, and the letter informed me that they would not be able to send anymore weapons for the cause. Now, all the soldiers and warriors had available to use were mostly farming tools or the few weapons we managed to acquire locally. Sighing at the stroke of bad luck, I opened the third letter, only to see Meiryo approach me and stare intently at it.

I opened it... to see Len's familiar handwriting.

**Xan.**

**Things were delayed greatly because it took me some time to find the person I was looking for... but we are on our way back to the Placidium. I already scouted the oncoming army and they've ravaged several of the villages along the way to the Placidium... they'll be upon us by tomorrow though I'm not sure when they'll truly be at our doorstep.**

**I did everything I could... so all that is left is the battle ahead.**

**I'll get there as fast as I can... and if the battle begins without me, stay safe... please.**

**Also... when I return... if we survive the battle, we need to talk. It's about what happened just before I set out to find my friend a few days ago.**

**See you soon.**

**Len.**

I closed my eyes and sighed deeply, now remembering the last conversation I had with him... and part of me hated myself for even bringing up the topic considering what I had confronted him about only a few weeks before.

* * *

**Five Days Ago- The Placidium, Len's Personal Quarters**

_"You've still been having nightmares... haven't you?" I asked.  
"...Sometimes." he replied._

_I sighed deeply as he finished packing his bag._

_"You still haven't told me what those dreams are about." I stated.  
"And it's not something you need to concern yourself with." he retorted.  
"You cry out in your sleep Len... I can't help but be concerned."_

_His eyes narrowed as he reached for his two swords._

_"...You keep calling out her name Len. I know you think about her... a lot."_

_He strapped the swords to his back before turning back to me._

_"...You don't know the story between us. She was my best friend when I was still a part of the Kinkou Order. I practically grew up with her."  
"But you know she's a rogue shinobi. And you believed she was dead for a long time... right?"_

_He nodded._

_"I wasn't there for her when the coup was staged by Zed. I promised her that I'd always be there for her... and I failed her. I've had nightmares about never seeing her again, and sometimes... I see Zed kill her right before my eyes."_

_I held his hand._

_"This sounds very personal... is there something going on between you two?" I asked._

_He shook his head._

_"I never told her how I felt about her. Because she was supposed to become the next Fist Of Shadow and that role of all roles at the Kinkou, could not afford such attachments. Her mother didn't have her until she had served with the Order for at least two decades, and it is forbidden for Kinkou shinobi to have relationships with each other until they are considered elders." he explained.  
"...I didn't know things were so strict."  
"There's a lot about the Kinkou that prevented Akali and I from being anything further than classmates and training partners. If she truly is out there somewhere, I have to find her. She will fight by our side without a doubt." he explained._

_I nodded in agreement as he slung his bag over his shoulder._

_"I should be back in a few days... wish me luck."  
"You'll find her. I believe in you."_

_I hugged him closely and he returned it by wrapping one arm around my back._

_"Godspeed." I urged._

* * *

**Present Day**

**~ o ~**

_"...Hurry Len."_

I laid down in my bed and slowly allowed myself to begin to drift off.

_"...I need you... we **all** need you."_


	4. Chapter Three: Awaken

**(A/N): I tweaked the numbers and such of my champion concept. Bear in mind, I made that idea up before the broken things that are in Season 10 as of now so I didn't take any of that into account. Apologies if there's a lot that seems broken, but that concept was created during a time when League was much simpler and had far less broken things, like Conqueror or Sanguine Blade (Oh god... _Sanguine Blade_...).**

**I'm very happy that you guys seem to be enjoying the story. Len was a concept I toyed with for years and his kit got changed numerous times. At first, he started out as a very slippery fighter who relied on his team similar to how Yasuo tends to rely on his team for his ultimate. The common thing I always had in every iteration of his kit is that it is very difficult for him to trigger his own ultimate, so he has to rely on his team to set him up for big damage and combos.**

**I also wanted to make a concept where you are punished for missing abilities, which is why the system of missing even one strike of the sword combo will put the whole ability on cooldown, unlike Riven who can just use Broken Wings whenever she wants and still be able to perform the whole combo. His entire kit is skillshot based and no matter what he does, he has to get into the fray to do his damage as he has literally no sort of ranged attack. He has to rely on his mobility and clever use of his passive to get onto his targets for that sweet sweet Vulnerable bonus effect, which rewards players who are consistently aggressive and land his skills.**

**I've also loved Akali as a champion since she first released and she was the first assassin I ever learned how to play. Naturally, I hardcore ship Len with Akali because they shared similar views in that they don't believe showing restraint is the way to change the world. Akali went rogue, but Len sought to serve his country directly instead of going rogue. I dunno, I think they fit well together especially since Akali basically learned how to be a lone wolf after being bred to work alongside a team.**

**Anyway, enough talk about Len. Let's get back to the action!**

* * *

**For Ionia**

**Chapter Three: Awaken**

**~ o ~**

_As you stand upon the edge_

_Hanging in the balance_

_And fate may fall down upon you_

_While the devil is knocking_

**~ o ~**

_"Len... before you leave. I need to know something."_

_The shinobi turned back to face me after securing the saddle on his horse, Avi._

_"What is it Xan?" he asked politely.  
"...Why do all Ionians look up to me?" I asked._

_His eyes narrowed and he let out a sigh._

_"It's because of what you did when you were young. You single handedly defeated Jericho Swain during the First Invasion and took one of his arms. He's one of the most feared Noxian Generals to have ever lived... and you, a girl with extraordinary power, was able to repel him. That's caused you to become a beacon of hope for everyone Xan."_

_He approached me and held one of my hands._

_"I understand the pressure you're under. And though you relinquished leadership of the resistance before, you've found your way back to leadership because in the end, no one in this country is as respected and honored as you are. You give our people courage and you inspire their fighting spirits... I know you have a lot to shoulder but you can do it... I believe in you."_

_Feeling my heart exude with warmth, I hugged him close to me. He returned the embrace, one of his hands holding the back of my head and gently rubbing it. He had always told me that one of my most beautiful features was my long hair and he often told me how great it looked whenever he got the chance to. He let go after a few seconds._

_"I'll go as fast as I can. If the battle begins without me... stay safe. Promise me that." he begged_

_I nodded._

_"I promise."  
"Thank you... now leave the rest to me. I won't let you down."_

_He mounted the mare and after rearing her, he took off._

* * *

**Present Day- The Placidium, Just Outside The Seaside Village**

I held out my hand and released the azure spore into the air as I looked down towards the gates... to see the Noxian army on its approach. I took a deep breath, remembering Len's encouraging words as I began to make my way down to the gates. All of the villagers looked to me, grasping their farming tools and makeshift weapons. I clenched my fists before taking a deep breath.

"My brothers and sisters! Today is our greatest challenge yet! We face an enemy that outnumbers us greatly and I will not lie to you now. The odds are not in our favor." I bellowed.

Many of the farmers looked discouraged, but I immediately raised my hand, causing my blades to flourish through the air.

"But they made a grave mistake! Ionia is our home! Our lives! They are encroaching on our lands and they've already killed a great number of our people. Will we stand by and let them kill more?!" I shouted.

I felt anger surge within me as I stopped walking, looking around as some of the farmers seemed to gain some resolve.

"I will not stand by and let them destroy everything we've built over the course of not only our lifetimes, but the lifetimes of our predecessors. We are one people, one land... and we will not give it up without a fight!"

Many of the farmers roared triumphantly, clearly inspired by my speech as I finally reached the gates. I did not see Darha anywhere, so I could only assume that she was with the mages, ensuring that they were ready.

_"But now... begins the true test."_

I stood in front of all of the militia as the Noxian army closed in, now only several hundred meters away from our gates. It was then that I began to notice... just how outnumbered we really were. I clenched my fists, my blades coming to life as the yelling behind me began to increase in intensity.

**"FOR THE PLACIDIUM!"**

* * *

**A Short While Later- A Forest Near The Placidium**

"Damn it! They've already arrived! We've got to hurry!" I shouted.

I continued to jump through the trees and the loud rustling behind me indicated that Akali was keeping pace.

"What's our first move?" she asked.  
"We'd better check in with Lady Darha. She will be able to tell us all that's happened." I replied.

After several more minutes of moving through the trees, we finally reached the Placidium... and the sight before us was horrifying to say the least. Our warriors were clearly outgunned and outnumbered at least twenty to one. I had no idea if any of my friends were on the frontlines... but things weren't looking good. I turned to Kaya.

"Give me a boost?"  
_"Whenever you're ready Len."_

I then turned to Akali before holding out my hand. She looked at me, confused at my sudden stop.

"What are you doing?" she asked.  
"Do you trust me?" I replied.

She nodded, but was still hesitant to take my hand.

"It'll save us some effort." I explained.

She took another moment to think before she took my hand, only for me to pull her into my arms and lift her up, bridal style.

"Len?! What the hell are you doing?!" she gasped.  
"Taking you for a ride."

I felt Kaya's magic begin to pour into my legs and once I felt strong enough, I kicked off of the tree as hard as I could, sending the two of us soaring into the air and over the walls of the village. I had ensured to aim my jump towards the massive tree at the center of the village and once I lost forward momentum, Kaya sent a burst of magic through my feet into the air, giving us another boost that was more than enough to make the distance. After landing, I let Akali get to her feet upon the massive branch we landed on. Her eyes indicated that she was astonished, but the smile that followed showed the daredevil within her had enjoyed the moment. We jumped down and made our way towards the gates... and just as I had hoped, Lady Darha was there, guiding the mages who were shielding the walls from bombardment.

"Lady Darha!" I shouted.

She turned and smiled upon seeing me and Akali. I made my way towards her with Akali right behind me before bowing respectfully.

"Ready to assist my lady." I said politely.  
"It's good to see you Len... and I'm very glad you managed to find your friend." she said.

Akali bowed respectfully and nodded.

"There's no way I'm gonna sit idly by while these tyrants destroy our home. I'll help in whatever way I can." she said.  
"We must get to the frontline then. I've given the mages their instructions and strengthened the barrier as much as I could. Let us make haste." said Darha.

Lady Darha made her way over to me and placed her hand on my shoulder, causing me to look up at her to see that she was smiling.

"I'm glad you made it home safe... now then. Into the fray!"  
"Wait... where is Lady Xan?" I asked.

Her eyes narrowed.

"She... charged to the front."

Before another word was even uttered, I sprang to my feet and turned to Akali.

"We have to hurry." I said.  
"What's going on?" she asked.

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists.

"...She's in danger. I interrogated a Noxian scout I encountered on my way to find you... and this attack isn't just an attempt at conquering the Placidium... it's also an assassination attempt." I explained.  
"What do you mean?"  
"If they can't take the land... they're going to shatter morale by killing the most prominent figure. The woman that defeated Jericho Swain in the first invasion... and the face of Ionia's resistance efforts."

I placed my hand on my katana before looking at Kaya.

"You ready?"  
_"No mercy... these Noxian tyrants are going to regret the day they decided to attack a second time."_

Gripping the hilt I leaped onto the top of the walls before leaping to the ground, breaking into a desperate sprint.

_"Come on Xan... hang in there."_

**~ o ~**

**Meanwhile- The Frontlines**

I roared loudly, flowing my blades around me and doing my best to cut down as many of the Noxian infantry as I could. The battle had only begun minutes ago... but it felt like I've been fighting for hours. There just didn't seem to be an end to these soldiers... each time I cut three down, another nine take their place. I looked ahead and saw an opening to a middle ground in the battle, where I could hopefully catch my breath. I took a deep breath and focused, thrusting my blades forward in a sharp formation and shoving several of the soldiers out of my way. However... I caught sight of what appeared to be some kind of massive monster, charging towards me. I cursed under my breath before looking back.

"GET CLEAR!" I bellowed.

However, before I could turn to get out of the way myself, three of the soldiers grabbed hold of me. I struggled to free myself and it was then that I realized that they knew exactly what they were doing.

"Slay the heroine of Ionia at any cost!" bellowed one of them.

I immediately flourished my blades, cutting all three of them down... but by the time I got to turn around, I received a massive punch and I felt my body leave the ground. I flew through the air, my senses barely processing what just happened until I hit the ground, skidding across it. My body felt heavy... and an indescribable wave of pain crippled my limbs. I looked around, trying to gather my bearings. I saw that many of our villagers were losing the fight... and we had already suffered quite a few casualties. I felt a pang of despair within my heart that quickly made its way to the top of my spine as I got to my feet, barely able to keep my legs steady. It was then that my eyes came into focus... and I looked up to see that the massive monster that had sent me flying... was now standing before me, holding a gigantic axe.

_"...That monster... that must be the monster called Sion. He's... a part of the army?"_

I tried to bring my blades to my aid... but my mind could barely even process the state I was in. The fatigue and pain quickly caught up to me as I saw Sion raise his axe for a finishing blow.

"Lady Irelia! Get out of the way!" shouted one of the farmers.

But it was too late. I couldn't find the strength to move... and the axe whooshed through the air... to be stopped dead in its tracks with a tremendous clang. The blow was so powerful, it created a massive dust cloud and I couldn't see through it for a short time. Once it finally settled, I noticed that a shiny green field of magic had surrounded me and had absorbed the blow meant to end my life. Sion lifted his axe away from me and I turned around to see that Darha had somehow reached me, her hands glowing bright green with energy. A moment later, a kunoichi ran from behind her, brandishing a kunai and a kama. She approached me, giving me sympathetic eyes.

"Are you okay?" she asked.  
"You must be Akali Tethi... even though your methods have been less than ethical... I'm very glad you're here." I said.  
"ARROW VOLLEY INCOMING!" shouted one of the farmers.

I looked up and cursed under my breath as at least three dozen arrows flew towards my position. I prepared to raise my blades but much to my surprise... a familiar aura washed over me... a presence that I had grown to care for deeply over the past several years.

"I'm here Xan."

I barely got to blink as Len appeared from seemingly nowhere and reached for the katana on his back before making a hand sign. He then drew the sword and began to rapidly swing, creating a large torrent of wind that completely deflected all of the arrows that were meant to hit us. In the next moment, he leaped towards Sion, who lifted one of his massive hands to defend himself. Akali sprang into action, leaping at him and landing cleanly on his head before slashing at his face. She then throw several smoke bombs into his eyes, causing him to stagger. Len landed a moment later, managing to land a slash on his chest before kicking off hard, clearing the distance back to me.

He then turned to me.

"Are you okay?"  
"A little battered... but I'll manage." I replied.  
"This isn't over yet!" shouted Akali.

I then began to feel magical energy build behind me. During the time I've spent with Len, his Vastayan companion Kaya taught me how to sense magical energy... and I turned to see that Darha had once again begun to glow bright green. After chanting a mantra, she raised her hands to her right.

_"...What is she doing?" _I called out to Kaya._  
**"This... is an enhancement spell..."**_ she replied.

"**ASERYO!**"

The unmistakable voice of the redeemed wind swordsman, Yasuo filled the air and in the next moment, I saw an absolutely massive tornado rip through a good portion of the Noxian army. A moment later, I noticed that he was in the air, sheathing his blade to prepare for the next technique. I had no idea how the Wind Technique worked exactly... but the fact that he was able to wipe out a large portion of the army with a single swing of his sword meant that we may just have a chance to turn the tide. I tried to move forward, but immediately stumbled thanks to a very sharp pain in my leg.

_"Damn it... I can't move..."_

"Here. Drink this. You'll feel better."

I looked up to see that Len had produced a bottle somehow, likely from his tunic as he always tended to be prepared for anything. I took it from him, giving him a grateful nod as I immediately swallowed the contents. Within moments, my body felt significantly stronger and the pain I was struggling to endure all but vanished. I took a deep breath, tossing the bottle aside before calling my blades to my side. Sion roared and attempted to lift his massive fist, seemingly unfazed by Len and Akali's assault... until the clear crackle of lightning began to fill the air. I turned to my right and smiled.

_"The Kinkou answered the call..."_

In a flash of graceful light, the Kinkou shinobi known as Kennen appeared in front of me, looking back for a brief moment to see if everything was alright. Sion roared loudly, only for Kennen to slam his hand on the ground, causing a massive pillar of lightning to slam down from the sky, striking Sion with such intensity that it left a large cloud of smoke and sent numerous soldiers flying away.

"More of them are coming. We don't have much time before their ranks are swelled once more." said Karma.  
"Then we hold them here."

Everyone turned to see that Yasuo had landed from his attack and had appeared next to Len.

"We won't be able to win this battle unless we take out the elites... which is why I have an idea." he said.  
"Let's hear it." said Akali.  
"While we hold them off here, Len and Akali should get past them and see if they can find the leader of the attack. If the leader falls, the army will soon after." he explained.  
"...I'm not leaving Lady Darha and Lady Irelia here." said Len firmly.  
"You two were trained as assassins and are by far our best shot at getting at their leaders... there's no way we'll be able to defeat this kind of army unless their morale is broken." growled Yasuo.

Len glared at the swordsman, almost with uncharacteristic anger. I immediately held his hand, causing him to look at me in shock.

"He's right Len. Our numbers are dwindling and we don't have well trained infantry like they do... we're merely a stop-gap measure in this. I appreciate you wanting to fulfill your duty, but in order to finish this battle... measures must be taken."

I turned to Akali and nodded.

"Once there is a break in the fight, you and Len head for the shorelines. The Noxian ships should still be there where the one in charge of the invasion should be hiding... it's the only chance we have." I explained.

She looked a little taken aback, likely astonished that I had practically just given her an order. However, she bowed respectfully, her eyes indicating that she had absolutely no intention of disappointing me. I turned back to face Sion, who had now recovered from the barrage of attacks my companions had just struck him with.

"We have to buy them time Lady Xan. Some of the Kinkou Shinobi will arrive, but I got far ahead of them because of my speed." said Kennen.  
"Thank you."

I could tell that the ninja was smiling beneath his mask, as he was significantly more pleasant than most of the other shinobi at that monastery. I then gathered my strength, calling my blades back to me before stepping forward.

"Then until we see an opening... we take the fight to them!"

I looked back to the remaining militia and villagers, who now seemed significantly more inspired now that help had arrived. After hearing their yells of new resolve, began to run forward. The footsteps next to me let me know that my companions were next to me.

**"FOR IONIA!"**


	5. Chapter Four: Protector

**For Ionia**

**Chapter Four: Protector**

**~ o ~**

**A While Later- A Forest Near The Placidium**

"How far are those ships?" I asked.

Len turned back to face me, keeping his pace as we continued to leap through the trees.

"Shouldn't be much further now." he replied.

I then noticed that there were cuts on his cheek as well as several bruises on his arms. The battle that we just barely managed to break away from had taken its toll on both of us. It was difficult to listen to Lady Irelia, but she truly believed that Len and I were the best chance at prematurely ending this invasion. The arrival of a large number of the Kinkou shinobi really helped... though there was no sign of Shen. I growled internally at the thought of him not helping to protect our country... but that was the primary reason why he and I no longer saw eye to eye. I stopped for a moment and he reacted almost instantly, stopping at a branch before turning back fully to face me.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" he asked.  
"I'm more concerned for you." I replied.

He shook his head.

"I've been through far worse than this." he said.  
"Come here and let me at least apply the healing ointment."

He sighed softly.

"Kali... it's not-"  
"Please Len... seeing you this hurt is making me worry. We can spare a few moments to take care of you." I said.

He sighed softly and I could only imagine how much Kaya was pestering him to listen to me. Though she could easily heal him with her magic, he asked her to save her strength for the battles ahead, which was even more of a reason for me to want to take care of his wounds because I was sure that I wouldn't be able to accomplish this mission without his help. It took him several moments, but he jumped onto the branch I stopped on before nodding.

"If it will put your mind at ease... alright." he said.

I could tell that it took a great deal of effort for him to deviate from his usual one track mind whenever it came to a mission... and I was thankful that he appreciated my opinion enough to listen and even relent.

He crouched down as I reached into my bag and pulled out the ointment that I made in the past to treat my own injuries, made from the Ionian Bright-Thistle, a plant that was very well known for its healing properties. He pulled his arms from his tunic, allowing the top half to fall below his waist and it was then that I realized how hurt he really was.

Though he claimed his was fine, his arms were heavily bruised, likely because of Sion's devastating attacks as well as him taking on a demolitions team on his own. The subtle burns and cuts told the whole story, and I could only imagine how painful it was to have received these wounds.

"...You got banged up pretty badly." I said.  
"Like I said, I've been through worse." he replied.

I placed one of my hands on his shoulder, which seemed to immediately disarm his anxiety.

"It won't take long... just hold still. Please?" I asked.

He nodded, and I could hear Kaya laughing softly in the corner of my mind.

**_"Know that you're the only person who's gotten him to stop. Not even his mother was able to do that."_**

I started to rub his arms down, feeling him tense slightly in pain but relaxing very shortly after. I could tell that it took a great deal of willpower to allow me to do this, as he was very concerned for Lady Irelia and Lady Darha. We managed to find our opening when Yasuo launched a devastating tornado, giving us the opportunity to slip away unseen by any of the soldiers which prevented any chance of them knowing that we were coming for their elites. I wasn't in the best condition; I was already exhausted from the battle a few minutes earlier... but I knew that this had to be done. Right now, Len and I may be Ionia's best chance at turning this war around.

I had long sought for a way to strike at our enemies and I did all that I could without leaving the land... but he left the islands for a long time and I was positive that he had seen significantly more than I have. Hell, he killed a Noxian General... something that I haven't had the chance of doing just yet. Still... I was glad that he found me, and that I didn't end up accidentally killing him when I threw my shuriken at him.

All of the fond memories of our childhood began to fill my head... and I couldn't help but smile to myself, thankful that my mask was hiding it from his watchful eyes. Len always encouraged me to be at my best, fully believing that I would be able to fill my mother's role as the Fist Of Shadow back when I was still a part of the Order... at least actively. Though I left, I no longer operated by the limits Master Shen imposed... and even though he and I didn't see eye to eye on our methods, I deeply respected him as a shinobi and also as a leader; it was no small feat to take up the mantle of the Eye Of Twilight after a legendary master like Lord Kusho used to be in its place.

Sometimes, I thought about not leaving the Order... and perhaps I could've done more good if I had just tried to be persuasive with the elders, or perhaps I could've found a way to expand the Kinkou to allow a team whose purpose was to assist Ionia directly, much like the path that Len took by himself. I finished rubbing his body and he took a moment to adjust his tunic.

"Now turn around. You've got some cuts on your face." I said.

He obeyed me wordlessly, facing me with a slightly embarrassed look on his face. I could tell that he was very used to patching himself up, or allowing Kaya to heal his wounds whenever someone wasn't looking... and it was a trait that he had since he was young. He almost never let his guard down, and it was difficult to catch him in a vulnerable state as he always tried to look strong and unfaltering... but he's only a man. No one can manage to stay strong at all times. I began to dress his wounds, thankful that the ointment already began to do its work thanks to its almost supernatural healing properties.

"...Thank you Kali."

I blinked and noticed that he had averted his eyes, now looking away from me but not moving an inch. I couldn't help but smile and feel heat rush to my cheeks; he had come up with that nickname for me a long time ago... and he was the only person I allowed to call me that. I began to recall all of the training we did together, all of the times we sparred and I defeated him... but he never once took it personally and simply strove to do better. Now that I thought about it... he was probably the only person apart from Kennen that I had never once argued with. I couldn't think of a single unpleasant memory... apart from the day that he had to leave the monastery...

He didn't even get to say goodbye, as Lord Kusho gave him direct orders to complete his training as well as to prove himself a worthy shinobi. The last time I saw him before he left, he had asked me if I would've liked to go to the meadow a few minutes walk away from the monastery, so that he could show me something that he was practicing...

"Hey... are you alright? You zoned out for a moment."

I shook my head and laughed nervously.

"Yeah... I'm fine. Do you feel better?" I asked.

He nodded genuinely as he got to his feet.

"What about you?"

I narrowed my eyes, now realizing that I really only brought enough ointment for one person. I shrugged, not really feeling pained or hurt, but his eyes didn't break away from mine for even a moment. He then reached behind his back and removed Kaya from her strap before handing her to me.

"Let her help. It won't drain her as much seeing as you weren't as hurt as I was."

His voice was gentle, but firm enough for me to understand that he wasn't about to take no for an answer. I sighed and closed my eyes, only to feel sweet relief wash over my entire body.

_"Are you sure this won't drain you too much Kaya?"  
**"I'm not as fragile as Len makes me out to be. This is child's play for me... though I must admit that I would likely need some time to absorb some magic in order for me to be fully battle ready."**  
_

In mere moments, my body fully recovered from all of the fatigue I was feeling and the few cuts and bruises that peppered my body had all but vanished without a trace. I handed Kaya back to him and he replaced her on his back, where she always was.

"What did she say?" he asked.  
"She said she'll need a little time to regain her power." I replied.

He sighed softly and looked back to the blade.

"You're stubborn... you know that?" he scolded.  
_**"Oh please, as if I'm anything compared to you. Now just give me a few minutes to recover... take a rest or something, it's not like anyone knows you're here."**_

I laughed softly at Kaya's scolding tone which was now audible to the both of us. He took a seat against the body of the tree we were standing on and I joined him, thankful for the break to catch my breath and gather my bearings.

"...Didn't think I'd be here right now." I said softly.  
"Lady Darha always spoke of this inevitable battle... I just wish we were more prepared for it."  
"Do you ever stop thinking about being prepared Len?" I said rolling my eyes.

Much to my surprise, he laughed softly.

"I suppose not. Force of habit." he replied.

I scooted next to him and let out a heavy breath, thankful that Kaya had healed me because now it no longer felt uncomfortable to actually lean against something. The tree for some reason however, felt rather uncomfortable, so I decided to take a chance and rest my head on his shoulder. He didn't object, as he leaned his head into mine as if to try and comfort me.

"...Can we really end this war? Right now?" I asked.  
"Perhaps the battle... war is never so simple." he replied.

I sighed softly.

"Guess Noxians will always be Noxians." I mused.  
"Demacians aren't much better. They've completely outlawed the use of magic in their country, so Vastayans aren't even welcome there." he replied.

I rolled my eyes and clenched my fists.

"...Why can't people just let others be who they are?"  
"For them, balance always has to be in their favor. There is no true neutral for any other country apart from ours. Noxus desires war and chaos, Demacia desires order and law. Two extremities... two sides of the same coin." he explained.

I shook my head and scooted even closer, hugging onto his arm to try and warm my body up from the cold air.

"Sounds like you've given their causes a lot of thought."  
"Ionia's cause is just... but the issue is that it's nearly impossible to achieve, even more so than Noxus or Demacia."

I nodded in agreement.

"Master Shen had great ideals... as did Lord Kusho. But true balance cannot be attained by being passive. Nor can it be achieved through absolute aggression... everything has to be the right amount." I said.  
"We've been in no position to seek that goal because our country has long since been divided... Lady Irelia may be the best hope there is at finally uniting the peninsula."  
"She's going to take up the mantle of head of the Council?" I asked.

He nodded slowly.

"She's begun to realize that running away from her destiny will only hurt our country more... if we are still here after this battle, I wouldn't be surprised if she rejoined the Council in the Placidium." he explained.  
"...Guessing that's because of you?"

He laughed softly and shook his head.

"Irelia's been my friend for just about all the time I've served the Council. I know her better than anyone else alive... and she was never unwilling to step up to the challenge. She just believed that others could do a far better job than she ever could. I always encouraged her to be the best person she can be... so perhaps it's because of me? Or perhaps it's because she sees just how dire the situation is."

I nodded, allowing myself to relax as I ventured my hand closer to his.

"She's been there for you all this time... there's no way nothing happened between you two. Am I right?" I inferred.

I had no idea why I was suddenly so curious about this... but he didn't seem to mind as he shook his head.

"I've been no more than her bodyguard and adviser. A lot of people thought that she and I were in something more... but we've never ventured into that territory."

For some reason, I felt a pang of relief and I couldn't help but let loose a heavy breath. He evidently noticed as he laughed softly.

"What about you? Any lucky men out there?"  
"You know me already Len. I don't have time for that kind of stuff." I replied.  
"...Liar."

Sometimes, I really forgot how well he knows me. He's been there for me since we were children... and we spent so much time together that it would be more surprising that he **didn't** know something about me.

"Guess I just haven't bothered with it considering that I'm a wanted fugitive."  
"They agreed to wipe your slate clean you know... because you decided to assist with the battle. Lady Darha already said that she would see to it that you are excused for your crime."  
"...Crime? They see what I'm doing as a crime?"  
"Just not the way they think things should be done... but you've never offended Ionian Law. You've been labeled a rogue because of the Kinkou Elders. Master Shen didn't have much of a say... but he fought for you. I can assure you of that." he explained.

My eyes widened.

"I thought the old man didn't like-"  
"He doesn't approve of your reckless methods... but he understood that you had the same end goal that all Ionians have. He wanted you to find your own path, which is why he let you go and defied the Elders in sending shinobi to hunt you down." he continued.

It was hard to believe that Shen truly did agree with my vision... but what Len says makes total sense considering all of what Shen and I have been through. Our hunt for Jhin... him overseeing much of my training... the missions he and I accomplished together during my time as a shinobi. All of it added up... and now I truly understood my former Master.

"...I'll have to thank him when I see him again... thank you for telling me this... it's a huge weight lifted from my thoughts."

I slid my hand boldly into his and gave it a squeeze. He let out a soft breath and much to my surprise, he returned the gesture.

"...I missed you Kali... when I heard the monastery burned to the ground... I was... terrified."

His grip on my hand tightened as he let out a heavy breath.

"We're nearly at the end of this battle... and I have no intention of letting anything happen to you."

My cheeks turned an obvious red, but I scoffed and shook my head.

"Please... I'm way better at this than you are. Have you forgotten our record?"

He nodded, but I squeezed his hand and snuggled closer to him.

"...But the fact that you searched for me for all that time... and that you're still the same man I met when I was a child... I guess I can accept that someone wants to protect me."

He flinched for a brief moment before leaning his head off of mine and looking at me. His eyes were practically in a trance and I couldn't break away from his gaze no matter how hard I tried. My heart skipped a beat... and I felt the futile impulses of my brain telling me to move. He slowly raised his free hand and drew my mask down to reveal my likely crimson cheeks and dumbfounded expression. He smiled at me, but not in a way that made me nervous... but at ease. I felt so relaxed... so...

_**"Safe."**_

I could only imagine the look on Kaya's face right now for both our sakes as Len drifted forward, evidently unsure if he was right to proceed. I couldn't help but move closer... and I could now see every eyelash...

_**"...Do I... really..."**_

A strong force broke me from my thoughts as I felt my body get pushed to the large branch. I shook my senses back into focus and noticed that Len had dove into me for some reason. Before I could ask what was wrong... I looked at the tree to see that several daggers were now where we were just sitting... wedged deeply into the bark. I don't know how I didn't hear them whistling through the air considering how much larger they were than any kunai. Len got to his feet and before I could do the same I heard a loud clang. In the next instant, Len had moved in front of me and the sound of steel meeting wood filled the air. I looked down to see that he had deflected another three daggers.

"Show yourself!" shouted Len.

I took the chance to get to my feet and raise my mask.

"You're no amateur. Should've expected as much from a man assigned to protect the Ruling Council."

I heard the whistling this time and I immediately drew some shuriken from my pouch and launched them, canceling the next barrage of daggers that come from a different direction. I drew my kama and a kunai before taking a fighting stance. It took several seconds, but our assailants revealed themselves... and I couldn't believe who they were.

"It looks to me like you're heading for the capital ship at the coastline... I'm afraid I can't allow to do that."

Standing before me, was none other than two of the Du Couteau siblings: Katarina and Talon. I gasped softly, and looked to Len, who seemed completely unfazed. If anything... he looked angry.

"We have our orders little brother." said Katarina.  
"Indeed we do... neither of you are leaving here alive. Our mission was to kill the Shinobi Of The Ruling Council... and I suppose killing one of the few surviving Kinkou would be an excellent bonus." threatened Talon.

Talon immediately sprang at Len but much to my surprise, he immediately reached for Kaya and unsheathed her so fast, it launched a gust of wind in front of us, sending Talon flying back. Katarina immediately threw a pair of daggers, but I immediately deflected them with my kama as I took the offensive. However, Len stood in front of me and turned back. The look in his eyes shook me to my core...

_"Go on ahead... leave this to me."_ was the message his eyes radiated.

He turned back to face his opponents before unleashing a huge torrent of wind, sending both of them flying back into other trees. He then reached into his tunic and handed me a pouch.

"That contains enough bomb pellets to destroy the boiler room. Head for the center of the ship... you know what to do when you get in there."  
"I'm not leaving you to-"  
"...The Du Couteau house was the one responsible for the burning of my village and the death of my father... this fight is personal. Go."

It was heart-wrenching to hear his words... and there wasn't a time that I had ever seen Len in such a state of anger. His voice had turned cold... when only moments ago, it was so tender and loving...

"I've trained my entire life for this... I'll join you Kali... I promise."

He managed to put enough warmth in his voice to ease my worries and before I could say another word, he grabbed me in a one armed hug. I returned it, clinging to him for a moment until I turned and leaped higher into the trees. Knowing it would only get more difficult to leave him, I pressed forward... hoping that he would keep his promise.


End file.
